Articleshttp://news.usm.edu/articles/Arts
enUSM to Present “Blues for an Alabama Sky” http://news.usm.edu/article/usm-present-blues-alabama-sky
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi will present Pearl Cleage&rsquo;s &quot;Blues for an Alabama Sky&quot; at the Hartwig Theatre in the Hattiesburg campus, with performances set for Feb. 21, 22, and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and on Feb. 23 and 24 at 2 p.m.</p>
<p>&quot;Blues for an Alabama Sky&quot; takes place in an apartment building in Harlem, over an eight-week period during the summer of 1930. Angel, a struggling out-of-work blues singer, and her roommate Guy, an equally jobless costume designer, deal with juxtaposing feelings of wanting to belong and wanting to escape.</p>
<p>This play is directed by Amanda Washington, with performances by Timieya Harris (Angel), Sheldon Mba (Guy), Rakeala Thompson (Delia), R.J. Cyprian (Sam), and Tony Reimonenq III (Leland) covers many adult themes of racism, prohibition, and birth control while being contained in a small apartment.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Harlem Renaissance was expanding minds, changing attitudes and colliding with a country that takes steps back, sure, but also propels its citizenry forward through the spirit, engagement and determination of its people.&rdquo; Stated Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune in a review.</p>
<p>Pearl Cleage is an acclaimed playwright and novelist from Atlanta, Georgia. An award-winning playwright whose &quot;Flyin&rsquo; West&quot; was the most produced new play in the country in 1994, Cleage is also a best-selling author whose first novel, &quot;What Looks Like Crazy on An Ordinary Day&quot;, was an Oprah Book Club pick as well as a New York Times bestseller for nine weeks.</p>
<p>Tickets are $15 for general admission; $10 for faculty, staff, seniors, and military; and $8 for students. Tickets will be available at the door as well as online.</p>
<p>For tickets, go to <a href="http://www.southernmisstickets.com" title="www.southernmisstickets.com">www.southernmisstickets.com</a>. For more information, contact the Theatre program at 601.266.4994.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsWed, 20 Feb 2019 15:45:16 +000020611 at http://news.usm.eduSarah Lutz featured in USM Art and Design Visiting Professionals Series February 20http://news.usm.edu/article/sarah-lutz-featured-usm-art-and-design-visiting-professionals-series-february-20
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Art and Design Visiting Professionals Series presents artist Sarah Lutz on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 11:30 a.m. in the George Hurst Building, room 123. This free event is presented in part by the generous support of Partners for the Arts.</p>
<p>Sarah Lutz is a painter and printmaker who creates colorful abstract works such as <em>Slipstream</em> and <em>Fireball Season</em>.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The subtle contradictions that exist within a painting are what interest me most and sustain me in my practice,&rdquo; said Sarah Lutz in her artistic statement. &ldquo;I want my work to be beautiful, but at the same time unsettling; serious, but with a comedic aspect.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Lutz&rsquo;s paintings and prints have been exhibited at The Schoolhouse Gallery in Provincetown, MA; The Richmond Art Center in Windsor, CT; and the Lohin Geduld Gallery and Lori Bookstein Fine Art in New York.</p>
<p>&ldquo;My hope is that a compelling tension exists within these paintings because they feel simultaneously familiar while hinting at something ethereal and unknown.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Southern Miss Art and Design Visiting Professionals Series brings four to five art professionals each year including active visual artists, art historians, and other art authorities to The University of Southern Mississippi for the purpose of presenting public lectures, workshops, formal critiques and practical art experiences to our students. The series enhances the program&rsquo;s offerings in Drawing and Painting, Sculpture and Ceramics, Graphic Design, and Art History. Ultimately, the goal is to enrich the discussion and understanding of the visual arts at USM and the greater Hattiesburg community.</p>
<p>For more information, contact Allen Chen at <a href="mailto:allen.chen@usm.edu">allen.chen@usm.edu</a>.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsMon, 18 Feb 2019 15:20:28 +000020571 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Connoisseur Series Features Jovino Santos Neto and his Quinteto February 20http://news.usm.edu/article/usm-connoisseur-series-features-jovino-santos-neto-and-his-quinteto-february-20
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Music presents its Connoisseur Series featuring Jovino Santos Neto and his Quinteto on Wednesday, Feb. 20. This free concert is set for 7:30 p.m. in Marsh Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus.</p>
<p>Jovino Santos Neto with his group Quinteto brings an exciting blend of deep harmonies and fantastic improvisation that is inspired by the vibrant culture of Brazilian music.</p>
<p>&ldquo;He is a brilliant and intuitive keyboard player (and flutist) who explores jazz, classical and Brazilian traditional music with equal zeal,&rdquo; stated Paul de Barros of Seattle Times in 2000.</p>
<p>Jovino Santos Neto began his career as a collaborator with one of Brazil&rsquo;s most famous composers Hermeto Pascoal and brings the same ebullient energy to the stage with his own group Quinteto. Neto serves on the faculty at the Cornish Institute in Seattle, Washington and tours the world performing and teaching.</p>
<p>&ldquo;(Neto is) an uninhibited young keyboard soloist who writes boppishly self-propelling numbers,&rdquo; stated Jack Massarick of The London Evening Standard in a review.</p>
<p>For more information, contact Larry Panella at: <a href="mailto:lawrence.panella@usm.edu">lawrence.panella@usm.edu</a> or call 601.266.4047.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsThu, 14 Feb 2019 20:48:54 +000020536 at http://news.usm.eduInternational Percussion Festival Final Concert Set for February 16 at USMhttp://news.usm.edu/article/international-percussion-festival-final-concert-set-february-16-usm
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) School of Music proudly presents the final concert of the International Percussion Festival on Saturday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. at The Thirsty Hippo in Hattiesburg, Miss. The concert will feature a performance by guest artists Oscar Albrieu Roca and Javier Nandayapa as well as the Southern Miss Percussion Ensemble.</p>
<p>Earlier in the week, both guest artists will also host a master class. Oscar Albrieu Roca, an Argentinian Percussionist, will have his master class on Feb. 14, while Javier Nandayapa, a Mexican Marimba Specialist, will have his master class on Feb. 15. Both lectures are at 7:30 p.m. in the PAC Percussion Room and are free and open to the public.</p>
<p>Oscar Albrieu Roca is Professor of Percussion at the Buenos Aires Conservatoire as well as the Percussion Director of the National Program in Argentina. Roca has taught and performed in United States, Spain, England, and Germany to name a few.</p>
<p>Javier Nandayapa started his musical career in 1989 with the famous Marimba Nandayapa ensemble. As a soloist, he has performed around the world with various orchestras such as Orkiestra Kameralna PROGRESS (Poland), the Lithuanian State chamber orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra.</p>
<p>Price of admission for the concert is $15 for the general public and $5 for students with ID. All proceeds will go to the USM Percussion Studio.</p>
<p>For more information, contact Dr. John Wooton at <a href="mailto:john.wooton@usm.edu">john.wooton@usm.edu</a>.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsWed, 13 Feb 2019 17:05:45 +000020506 at http://news.usm.edu2019 Blaine Quarnstrom Playwright Series Featuring Robert Icke Coming to USMhttp://news.usm.edu/article/2019-blaine-quarnstrom-playwright-series-featuring-robert-icke-coming-usm
<p>Opening the 2019 Spring semester, The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) English and Theatre programs will proudly host the 2019 Blaine Quarnstrom Playwright Series featuring playwright Robert Icke from Jan. 24 &ndash; 27.</p>
<p>This limited engagement will include two public Q&amp;A sessions regarding Icke&rsquo;s artistic process and his reflection on the current industry trends on Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tatum Theatre and Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. in the Hartwig Theatre.</p>
<p>In addition, four dedicated writing workshops for students will start on the 25<sup>th</sup> and continue into the 27<sup>th</sup>. The Playwright Series will conclude with a special staged reading of one of Icke&rsquo;s adapted version of the Greek Tragedy, <em>The Oresteia</em>, on Sunday, Jan. 27 at 11:30 a.m. in Woods Theatre.</p>
<p>Participation in the writing workshops is only open to English and Theatre students. However, both of the Q&amp;A sessions as well as the staged reading are free and are open for all to attend.</p>
<p>Icke is Associate Director at the Almeida where he has adapted and directed works such as <em>Mary Stuart </em>(also West End), <em>Uncle Vanya</em>, <em>Oresteia</em> (also West End), and <em>1984 </em>(co-created with Duncan Macmillan, also Broadway, West End, national and international tours).</p>
<p>Icke&rsquo;s recent work is a new adaptation of <em>Oedipus </em>(Toneelgroep Amsterdam) and his future work includes <em>The Crucible</em> (Theater Basel) and <em>Oresteia </em>(Schauspiel Stuttgart). Icke has won the UK Theatre Award, the Critic&rsquo;s Circle Award and the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Director and is the youngest winner of the Olivier Award for Best Director.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Robert Icke is an incredible young British Theatre Artist with an influential and distinct point of view,&rdquo; said USM Professor Robin Aronson. &ldquo;His work is of the highest caliber; having him visit USM is an honor and a rare treat.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Founded in 2006, The Blaine Quarnstrom Playwrights Series fosters the writing of dramatic literature by students from both the Theatre and English programs. The goal of the series is to foster student writing through Q&amp;A sessions and creative writing workshops led by a leading American playwright. Over a single weekend, the playwright in residence structures four consecutive writing workshops derived from personal writing methods and techniques. In the past these sessions have focused on format writing for ten-minute plays, crafting expressive dialogue, and conceiving and developing effective structure and engaging characters.</p>
<p>To learn more, contact Professor Aronson at <a href="mailto:robin.aronson@usm.edu">robin.aronson@usm.edu</a> and 601-266-6442.</p>
AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsTue, 11 Dec 2018 20:30:37 +000019946 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Visiting Artist Lecture features Kristen Tordella-Williams http://news.usm.edu/article/usm-visiting-artist-lecture-features-kristen-tordella-williams
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi presents The Visiting Artist Lecture featuring Kristen Tordella-Williams on Nov. 16 at 5 p.m. in the 3D Arts Building (2905 West 4<sup>th</sup> Street) on the Hattiesburg campus.</p>
<p>She is giving the final lecture of the Outdoor Sculpture series. Her work, &ldquo;Eudora Welty Wreath&rdquo; is located in front of the International Building on the Hattiesburg campus. Her lecture will take place after the semester iron pour, which starts at 10 a.m. and runs all day on Nov. 16. While the iron pour is free to observe, the public can purchase a scratch block for $15 which allows them to make a design for an iron tile to be poured at the event.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Our bodies contain the memories each day lived. I focus on how to physically represent these inherent memories of labor through multiple processes,&rdquo; said Tordella-Williams. &ldquo;Ultimately, my stubborn curiosity and absurd logic lead to a compilation of fossils &ndash; memories, processes, materials, images &ndash; that combine into a cross-media body of work.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Tordella-Williams gathers and re-interprets the remnants of labor, identity, gender, and memory, discovered or made. She is inspired by processes such as performance, papermaking, sculpture or printmaking.</p>
<p>Tordella-Williams has exhibited nationally and internationally, most recently in a castle/monastery in Salem, Germany.</p>
<p>For more information, email <a href="mailto:sculpture@usm.edu">sculpture@usm.edu</a>.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsWed, 07 Nov 2018 15:44:33 +000019556 at http://news.usm.eduSpecial Showing Set for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Timehttp://news.usm.edu/article/special-showing-set-curious-incident-dog-night-time
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will feature a showing of National Theatre Live&rsquo;s (NTL) <em>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</em> on Monday, Sept. 10. This special one-night movie event is set for 7:30 p.m. in the Martha R. Tatum Theatre on the Hattiesburg campus.</p>
<p>This critically acclaimed production directed by Marianne Elliot (<em>Angels in America</em>, <em>War Horse</em>) has astonished audiences around the world and has received seven Olivier and five Tony Awards. <em>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</em> was first performed at the National Theatre on August 22, 2012.</p>
<p>It is seven minutes after midnight, and young boy Christopher is on the case to solve the mystery of who murdered the dog Wellington. Though he has an extraordinary brain, the boy lacks the skills to interpret every-day life. In this coming-of-age story, Christopher&rsquo;s detective work takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.</p>
<p><em>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</em> has been considered &ldquo;nothing short of a triumph&rdquo; by <em>Variety</em>. <em>The Times </em>has even stated &ldquo;If ever there was a perfect theatrical marriage of performance and effect, this is it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Tickets for this one-night only event are $15 for the general public and $10 for students. It is only $7 each for groups of 20 or more.</p>
<p>For more information and tickets please visit southernmisstickets.com or call 800.844.TICK.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsThu, 06 Sep 2018 15:10:48 +000018611 at http://news.usm.eduFaculty Art & Design Show Opens Sept. 6 on Hattiesburg Campushttp://news.usm.edu/article/faculty-art-design-show-opens-sept-6-hattiesburg-campus
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi will have an opening reception of the Faculty Art &amp; Design Show on Thursday, Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Gallery of Art and Design, George Hurst Building on the Hattiesburg campus. The free, month-long exhibition will feature recent works created by the Art &amp; Design faculty of Southern Miss.</p>
<p>Acting as a celebration of the visual arts at USM, the Faculty Art &amp; Design Show will include a broad range of work in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and ceramics.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This show provides a great opportunity for the Art &amp; Design faculty to exhibit together as a collective,&rdquo; said Museum Director and Associate Professor Mark Rigsby. &ldquo;It also serves to inspire art students that we are not only art professors, but professional practicing artists as well. What we do is rooted in the practice of making art.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The exhibition will feature works by professors Allen Chen, Jacob Cotton, DeAnna Douglas, Janet Gorzegno, John Mark Lawler, James Meade, Marcus Michels, Carolyn Norton, Michael Richardson, Mark Rigsby, Traci Stover, Jennifer Torres, David Wilkinson, and Kevin Vanek.</p>
<p>The exhibition will remain available for viewing until Sept. 21.</p>
<p>For more information contact USM Art &amp; Design program at 601.266.5200 or visit <a href="https://www.usm.edu/visual-arts" title="https://www.usm.edu/visual-arts">https://www.usm.edu/visual-arts</a>.</p>
AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsThu, 30 Aug 2018 18:30:52 +000018561 at http://news.usm.eduPartners for the Arts Announces New Chair, Board Member Additionshttp://news.usm.edu/article/partners-arts-announces-new-chair-board-member-additions
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<p>Partners for the Arts recently announced Ron Hancock, alumnus of The University of Southern Mississippi, as chair for 2018-2019. Five recent board member additions were also announced.</p>
<p>Hancock, an American-born composer, arranger and performer, earned his Bachelor of Music degree with an emphasis in Arts Administration from Southern Miss in 1993. Hancock moved to Atlanta, Ga., to pursue a career in the music industry, where he landed a position in corporate sales &amp; marketing with the&nbsp;Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.</p>
<p>During his subsequent 17-year career in Atlanta, Hancock was an active performing member and teaching assistant in The&nbsp;Emory University Early Music Ensemble&nbsp;and its later &mdash; Lauda Musicam of Atlanta.&nbsp;He was a founding member of the&nbsp;Sforzandi Chamber Ensemble, and has served as president and music director of the Atlanta chapter of the&nbsp;American Recorder Society.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I am extremely honored to take on the role of chairman for Partners for the Arts. Russ Willis served as chairman of this board with the utmost enthusiasm for two consecutive years and I can&rsquo;t wait to pick up where he left off,&rdquo; said Hancock. &ldquo;I look forward to kick off our 2018-19 membership year and to work alongside our board, filled with many patrons who are not only passionate about the visual and performing arts at Southern Miss but also avid supporters of the arts in the community.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Hancock is currently a licensed Hearing Aid Specialist with Beltone Hearing Care Centers, but has remained faithful to his long-standing passion for the arts through his active participation in the arts community &mdash; serving as a volunteer for the Hattiesburg Arts Council and as First Vice Chair for Partners for the Arts at Southern Miss.</p>
<p>&ldquo;As the incoming dean for the new College of Arts and Sciences, I am deeply impressed by the work of our arts faculty and students and the impact of our arts programs on our University, community, state and region,&rdquo; said Dean Chris Winstead. &ldquo;Our arts programs, and new college as a whole, are indebted to Partners for the Arts members, and I look forward to working with Hancock to continue our traditions of excellence in the arts.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The recent additions to the board include: Stacy Ahua, director at Volunteer Southeast Mississippi; David Gustafson, editor/publisher at Signature Magazine/Hattiesburg Post; Kimberly-Joy Miri, attorney at Lowrey &amp; Fortner P.A.; Andrew-Miri, attorney at Bryan Nelson P.A.; and Millie Swan, chief of marketing and medical staff services at Forrest General Hospital.</p>
<p>Members of the Executive Committee are: Russ Willis, immediate past chair;&nbsp; Jay Dean, executive director;&nbsp; Dr. Luis Iglesias, Interim Director of the School of Humanities; Dr. Richard Kravchak, director of the School of Music at Southern Miss; and Stacy Reischman Fletcher, director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts.</p>
<p>Other board members include: Dr. Angela Ball and Dr. Adam Clay, both Southern Miss English professors; George Bassi, director of the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art; Jennifer Clark, owner-operator at Emerge Events; Lisa Conn, community leader; Dr. Kimberley Davis, professor in the School of Music; Charles Dawe, realtor at Re/Max Real Estate; Jim Dukes, Jr., attorney at Dukes, Dukes and Hunter; Cory Ferraez, attorney at Holmes, McLelland &amp; Ferraez, PLLC;&nbsp;Megan Jayroe, special education teacher at Longleaf Elementary School; Althea Jerome, retired music professor; Mary Jordan, community leader; Emily Keith, community leader; Michael Marks, public relations coordinator at Forrest General Hospital; Carole Marshall, community leader; and Leigh Ann Underwood, business development and human resources director at Southern Bone and Joint Specialists, P.A.</p>
<p>Created in 1997, Partners for the Arts is a community alliance between the Pine Belt Community and the arts programs at Southern Miss including Art and Design, Dance and Theatre in The School of Visual and Performing Arts, the School of Music and the Creative Writing Program in The School of Humanities.</p>
<p>Through individual and corporate memberships, Partners is able to promote arts education and expand access to world-class arts events and artists. By becoming a partner or renewing your partnership, you put the art in Partners for the Arts. Join online, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usm.edu/arts/partners-arts" title="https://www.usm.edu/arts-letters/partners-arts">usm.edu/partners-arts</a>.</p>
AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsWed, 01 Aug 2018 17:53:22 +000018226 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Opera and Musical Theatre Company Announces 2018-19 Seasonhttp://news.usm.edu/article/southern-opera-and-musical-theatre-company-announces-2018-19-season
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<p>The Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company at The University of Southern Mississippi has announced plans for two main-stage productions during the 2018-19 school year.</p>
<p>Winner of five Tony Awards, the Broadway hit musical comedy <em>The Drowsy Chaperone</em> will take to the boards on October 25-27, for three performances in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus. On April 4, 2019, the comical <em>Too Many Sopranos</em> will have audiences cheering and laughing, also in the MPAC.</p>
<p><em>The Drowsy Chaperone&nbsp;</em>is a parody of American&nbsp;musical comedy&nbsp;of the 1920s. The story concerns a middle-aged, musical theatre fan as he plays the record of his favorite musical, the (fictional) 1928 hit&nbsp;&ldquo;The Drowsy Chaperone.&rdquo; The show comes to life onstage as he wryly comments on the music, story, and actors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With a book by&nbsp;Bob Martin&nbsp;and&nbsp;Don McKellar&nbsp;and music and lyrics by&nbsp;Lisa Lambert&nbsp;and&nbsp;Greg Morrison, the SOMTC production will be directed by the team that brought local audiences The Phantom of the Opera, including Mike Lopinto, director, Michael Miles, music director, Ryan Anthony, choreographer and Tammy Mansfield, costumes.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It is one of my favorite shows; absolutely one of the funniest I&rsquo;ve ever seen,&rdquo; said Lopinto. &ldquo;It is truly the best show you&rsquo;ve likely never heard of &ndash; but you will never forget it once you&rsquo;ve experienced it.&rdquo;</p>
<p><em>Too Many Sopranos</em> tells the tale of a group of sopranos trying to get into heaven, but there is no more room in the heavenly choir. So, something has to be done, and it looks like some will be sent to Hell. An opera in two acts in English by&nbsp;Indiana University Jacobs School of Music&nbsp;faculty member&nbsp;Edwin Penhorwood, it features a myriad of songs from opera&#39;s various periods.</p>
<p>Auditions for <em>The Drowsy Chaperone</em> will be on Monday, August 27 starting at 4 p.m. in Fine Arts Building, Room 122 and continuing with dance call on the MPAC stage that evening at 7 p.m. The auditions are open to School of Music students, the university community, and the Hattiesburg-area community, though all must register online for a spot.</p>
<p>To sign up and for more information, please visit usm.edu/music and click on The Drowsy Chaperone logo.</p>
<p>Auditions for <em>Too Many Sopranos</em> will occur later in the semester and will be announced as information is available.</p>
<p>Tickets for both performances and the entire Symphony Season that includes these will be on sale mid-summer.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsThu, 29 Mar 2018 14:39:37 +000016956 at http://news.usm.eduGrammy Award-Winning Conspirare Presents Poignant Concert Event in Hattiesburghttp://news.usm.edu/article/grammy-award-winning-conspirare-presents-poignant-concert-event-hattiesburg
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<p>Comprised of soloists from around the country, the Austin (Texas)-based, Grammy Award-winning and internationally recognized Conspirare will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28, in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center on The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Hattiesburg Campus.</p>
<p>As the southern-most stop on its nationwide tour, the ensemble presents,<em> Considering Matthew Shepard</em>, composed by the group&rsquo;s founder and artistic director, Craig Hella Johnson.</p>
<p><em>Considering Matthew Shepard</em>, a music and drama presentation that debuted at number four on&nbsp;Billboard&rsquo;s Traditional Classical Chart, is an evocative and compassionate musical response to the murder of Matthew Shepard. The&nbsp;Washington Post&nbsp;calls the impact &ldquo;immediate, profound and, at times, overwhelming.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Conspirare debuted&nbsp;<em>Considering Matthew Shepard</em>&nbsp;in Austin in 2016 and presented the work at Boston Symphony Hall and Texas A&amp;M in 2016-17. This performance is part of a national tour in observance of the 20th anniversary of Matthew Shepard&rsquo;s death. A performance is also scheduled at the University of Mississippi on Feb. 27.</p>
<p>In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, was kidnapped, severely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die because of his sexual orientation. Five days later, when he passed away, the world was watching.</p>
<p>Led from the piano by Johnson,&nbsp;this musical response showcases the award-winning artistry of Conspirare&rsquo;s singers with a chamber ensemble of renowned instrumentalists. This three-part fusion oratorio speaks with a fresh and bold voice, incorporating a variety of musical styles seamlessly woven into a unified whole.</p>
<p>Johnson sets a wide range of poetic and soulful texts by poets including Hildegard of Bingen, Lesl&eacute;a Newman, Michael Dennis Browne, and Rumi. Passages from Shepard&rsquo;s personal journal, interviews and writings from his parents Judy and Dennis Shepard, newspaper reports and additional texts by Johnson and Browne are poignantly appointed throughout the work.</p>
<p>The event is ticketed and open to the public. Tickets are available at the Southern Miss Ticket Office, 800.844.8425, 601.266.5418, or southernmisstickets.com.</p>
<p><em>Editor&rsquo;s Note: Austin television station KRLU featured Considering Matthew Shepard as part of its Arts in Context series. That episode can be viewed here: <a href="http://video.klru.tv/video/2365839778/">http://video.klru.tv/video/2365839778/</a></em></p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsTue, 30 Jan 2018 20:24:24 +000016466 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss Faculty and Student Musicians to Present Mozart’s Gran Partita http://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-faculty-and-student-musicians-present-mozart-s-gran-partita
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<a href="/author/jenny-tate">Jenny Tate</a> </div>
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<p>Faculty and student musicians from The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s School of Music will present Mozart&rsquo;s Gran Partita on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. in the Fleming Education Center Auditorium on the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.</p>
<p>The concert will feature an ensemble of 13 musicians performing Mozart&rsquo;s timeless classic. Also known as Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major, Mozart&rsquo;s Gran Partita was composed in 1781 and is the only piece written by Mozart which features this specific instrumentation.</p>
<p>University Bands director and concert organizer Dr. Colin McKenzie stated, &ldquo;We are excited to bring this beautiful piece to the University&rsquo;s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, and we hope that the University community and the public will come out and enjoy this musical performance.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The concert will also be presented on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. in Marsh Auditorium on USM&rsquo;s Hattiesburg campus.</p>
<p>Both programs are free and open to the public.</p>
<p>To learn more about the Southern Miss School of Music, visit usm.edu/music.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsGulf CoastWed, 08 Nov 2017 19:36:12 +000015916 at http://news.usm.eduFuture Stars Event Set for Thursday at Southern Misshttp://news.usm.edu/article/future-stars-event-set-thursday-southern-miss
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra presents the winners of the William T. Gower Scholarship Competition in its last concert of the season, Future Stars, on Thursday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Main Street Baptist Church in Hattiesburg.</p>
<p>This year the annual Gower Concerto Competition features string, piano, and vocal soloists. Each year the orchestra honors the memory of William T. Gower, a renowned woodwind performer, teacher, and conductor of the Southern Miss Symphony, by awarding three superb musicians a performance with the USM Symphony on the Future Stars concert.</p>
<p>The Future Stars winners featured Thursday night include: Peruvian bassist, Nathaniel De la Cruz, who will perform portions of the Giovanni Bottesini Bass Concerto, No. 2; American soprano, Michelle Lange, who will perform beautiful opera arias by Charles Gounod and Johann Strauss II; Peruvian violinist, Ludwing Gonzales, who will perform the first movement of the well known Violin Concerto by Jean Sibelius, and Mississippi-born pianist, Kaleb Davis, who will perform Franz Liszt&rsquo;s virtuosic <em>Totentanz</em> (<em>Dance of the Dead</em>).&nbsp;</p>
<p>Dr. Ivan Del Prado will conduct the concerto portion of the concert. The second half of the concert, conducted by Dr. Gregory Fuller, features the USM Choirs in Arturs Maskats&#39; <em>Lacrimosa</em> and Igor Stravinsky&#39;s <em>Symphony of Psalms</em>.</p>
<p>Tickets are available through Southern Miss Ticket Office; 800.844.8425, 601.266.5418 or <a href="http://www.southernmisstickets.com">www.southernmisstickets.com</a>. For questions, please contact the USM Symphony and Southern Opera and Musical Theatre office at 601.266.4001.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsMon, 01 May 2017 19:50:33 +000014331 at http://news.usm.eduUSM School of Music Announces Auditions for Phantom of the Operahttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-school-music-announces-auditions-phantom-opera
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<p>The Southern Miss School of Music announces open auditions to Andrew Lloyd Webber&rsquo;s <em>Phantom of the Opera</em> to all university students. Auditions will be held on Sunday, April 23 beginning at 1 p.m. All applicants must register online at <a href="http://www.usm.edu/music/phantom">www.usm.edu/music/phantom</a>. Complete audition details are available there.</p>
<p>Call-backs will be on April 25 and 26 for selected roles. Licensing restrictions allow only Southern Miss students to be a part of the show, meaning anyone selected to the cast must be registered for the opera and musical theatre class.</p>
<p>Because the show is primarily a singing production, auditions will be by voice part, not for roles - soprano, alto (mezzo), tenor, baritone/bass. Also, specific cuts from the show will be provided for download.</p>
<p>The production also seeks dancers with ballet experience &ndash; male and female. Interested performers should also fill out the online application for more instructions about a separate call for dancers.</p>
<p>Directed by Dr. Mike Lopinto with music direction by Dr. Jay Dean and Dr. Michael Miles, the production will feature the venerable Symphony Orchestra. Tickets, available in April 2017, will be initially be part of the 2017-18 Symphony season, with individual tickets on sale shortly after.</p>
<p>Performance dates and the rest of the creative team will be announced soon for the elaborate production that takes the stage of the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium this fall.</p>
<p>Produced through special arrangement with Rodger and Hammerstein Theatricals, <em>The Phantom of the Opera</em> tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command. Its sensational score includes &quot;Think of Me,&quot; &quot;Angel of Music,&quot; &quot;Music of the Night,&quot; &quot;All I Ask of You,&quot; &quot;Masquerade&quot; and the title song.</p>
<p>For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.usm.edu/music/phantom">www.usm.edu/music/phantom</a>.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsTue, 07 Mar 2017 15:16:54 +000013731 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss Trombone Studio to Perform at The American Trombone Workshophttp://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-trombone-studio-perform-american-trombone-workshop
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Trombone Choir and Select Octet has been invited to perform at the American Trombone Workshop at the culmination of their tour on March 10, 2017. Under the direction of Dr. Ben McIlwain, the group will perform with guest soloist MSG Sam Woodhead of The United States Army Band, &ldquo;Pershing&rsquo;s Own.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The tour begins at the University of Tennessee - Chattanooga, on Tuesday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall. It continues at the University of Tennessee &ndash; Knoxville on Wednesday, March 8 at 3:30 p.m. in the Sandra G. Powell Recital Hall located in the Natalie L. Haslam Music Center. The group will finish the tour at the American Trombone Workshop on Friday, March 10 at 5 p.m. EST. This event, one of the largest annual events for trombone in the world, will be streamed live at <a href="http://www.usarmyband.com/trombone/" target="_blank">http://www.usarmyband.com/trombone/</a>.</p>
<p>This prestigious event gives students, performers, and educators an opportunity to meet and share ideas, talents, and opinions about the world of trombone.</p>
<p>&rdquo;It&#39;s a really exciting opportunity for the Trombone Choir to play at the American Trombone Workshop,&rdquo; said Jonathan McNeer, a junior music major. &ldquo;It&#39;s awesome to showcase the great things going on in the USM Trombone Studio on a national stage.&nbsp; It&#39;s great to get exposure to internationally renowned soloists and ensembles, as well as getting the chance to try out instruments and mouthpieces and network within the trombone community.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The group is comprised of Dr. Ben McIlwain, conductor; Mark Whitfield, assistant conductor; Mondo Belmonte, Dane DeCuir, Starnes Dees, Brandon Jenkins, Grayson Mayne, Alex Petersen, Adam Johnson (bass), Erica Nichols (bass), and Select Octet members Taylor Jones, Thomas Ly, Jonathan McNeer, Joshua Mize, LaDarrius Smothers, Mark Whitfield, Scott Anderson (bass), Spencer Hudson (bass).</p>
<p>The American Trombone Workshop is the only professionally organized and staffed trombone workshop or conference in the United States. Soloists, educators, and students&mdash;as well as university and college trombone ensembles from around the world&mdash;attend the workshop annually.</p>
<p>The workshop hosts a number of solo and ensemble competitions for performers of all ages. Over 1,000 students and professional trombonists have submitted audition tapes for the various competitions sponsored by ATW since 1993. Competitions include the National Solo Competition, the National Jazz Solo Competition, the National Jazz Ensemble Competition, and the National Trombone Quartet Competition.</p>
<p>Funding for this trip was made possible with support and generous donations by Westminster Presbyterian Church, Main St. United Methodist Church, Oak Grove United Methodist Church, and Calvary Baptist Church (Columbia).</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersEventsMon, 06 Mar 2017 15:14:21 +000013721 at http://news.usm.eduUSM School of Music Announces 2017 Production of Phantom of the Operahttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-school-music-announces-2017-production-phantom-opera
<p>Prior to the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company&rsquo;s production of <em>Showbiz Harmony</em> earlier this week, The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music announced plans for another epic production from the team that produced the much-acclaimed <em>Mary Poppins</em>. Andrew Lloyd Webber&rsquo;s <em>Phantom of the Opera</em> will take to the stage of the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium in Fall 2017.</p>
<p>Directed by Dr. Mike Lopinto with music direction by Dr. Jay Dean and Dr. Michael Miles, anticipation is already at fever-pitch within the school.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The ability to produce a musical of this caliber and scale is a testament to the incredible combination of a wonderful creative team in cooperation with a talented faculty and staff that is gifted with some of the most versatile and dynamic performers,&rdquo; said Dr. Richard Kravchak, director of The School of Music.</p>
<p>The production will feature student performers and the venerable Symphony Orchestra in an elaborate production that showcases both. Tickets, available in April 2017, will be initially part of the 2017-18 Symphony season, with individual tickets on sale shortly thereafter.</p>
<p>Auditions for the production will be held in April 2017. Licensing restrictions allow only Southern Miss students to be a part of the show, however, the auditions are campus-wide and will be publicized at a later date.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We have set up a website for all information as it becomes available&rdquo; said Lopinto. &ldquo;We encourage people to visit it often for the latest on auditions, tickets and special behind-the-scenes glimpses into the project.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Phantom of the Opera is the most iconic and longest running show on Broadway&rdquo; said Miles.&nbsp;&ldquo;I am thrilled to be working with an exceptional creative team in bringing this legendary musical to our community.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Produced through special arrangement with Rodger and Hammerstein Theatricals, <em>The Phantom of the Opera</em> tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command. Its sensational score includes &ldquo;Think of Me,&rdquo; &ldquo;Angel of Music,&rdquo; &ldquo;Music of the Night,&rdquo; &ldquo;All I Ask of You,&rdquo; &ldquo;Masquerade&rdquo; and the title song.</p>
<p>For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.usm.edu/music/phantom">www.usm.edu/music/phantom</a> or call 601.266.5620.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsFri, 14 Oct 2016 21:09:10 +000012436 at http://news.usm.eduUSM Musical to Tackle Today’s Social Issues in Songhttp://news.usm.edu/article/usm-musical-tackle-today-s-social-issues-song
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi ensemble that delighted Hattiesburg area patrons with a stirring production of <em>Mary Poppins</em>, will take to the stage of the Mannoni Performing Arts Center for a one-night-only performance of a Broadway musical review <em>Showbiz Harmony</em> on Thursday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.</p>
<p>The special performance will include hit tunes from <em>Fiddler on the Roof</em> and <em>South Pacific</em> to <em>Avenue Q</em> and <em>Kinky Boots</em>.</p>
<p>&ldquo;While creating a show that would be both timely and entertaining, the world seemed to be falling into an uncivilized and uncaring abyss,&rdquo; said Dr. Michael Miles, the show&rsquo;s music director. &ldquo;Not only were we constantly bombarded by ugly political discourse, mass shootings, terrorist attacks, attacks on police officers, threats of deportation and isolationism, and discriminatory legislation, but also we witnessed the violent reactions to all of these things. The tone of the discourse and level of disregard for human life is something we had not seen in our lifetime.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The show&rsquo;s director Dr. Michael Lopinto notes that though art oftentimes mirrors life, the arts also provide a countermeasure to much of the evil in the world. He points out that the arts are what make us human and continuously remind us of the value of who and what we are.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We felt compelled to bring to our community a performance that showcases themes of acceptance, individualism, tolerance, and inspiration,&rdquo; said Lopinto. &ldquo;With some fun pokes at ourselves and our imperfections as humans and with the acknowledgement that we have work to do as individuals and as a society, we hope <em>Showbiz Harmony</em> will move you in ways that inspire you to think about the world we live in and what each of us needs to do to ensure it is a better place for future generations.</p>
<p>The show is part of The University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra&rsquo;s 97<sup>th</sup> season. Tickets are available at the Southern Miss Ticket Office, 800.844.8425, 601.266.5418 or <a href="http://www.southernmisstickets.com">www.southernmisstickets.com</a>.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsTue, 04 Oct 2016 14:17:17 +000012311 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss School of Music Pianists to Perform in Peruhttp://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-school-music-pianists-perform-peru
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>Dr. Ellen Elder and Dr. Elizabeth Moak, piano faculty from The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music, will travel to Lima, Peru, where they have been invited to perform at the National Conservatory of Music.</p>
<p>The accomplished pianists will present solo recitals and master classes during the week of Oct. 17, 2016, and will also participate in a Piano Festival co-organized by the Conservatory and the <em>Patronato Peruano de la M&uacute;sica</em>.</p>
<p>&ldquo;International exchanges by our artist faculty are critically important to Southern Miss on multiple levels. They showcase our faculty on the world stage, serving to cement the standing of the School of Music as&nbsp;THE&nbsp;flagship music institution of not only Mississippi, but of the entire Southeastern United States&rdquo; said Dr. Richard Kravchak, director of the school. &ldquo;They highlight the fact that our entire institution is fully engaged with the international community.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Elder&rsquo;s recital will feature works by Haydn, Albright, Liszt, and Schumann. Moak&rsquo;s recital will feature works by Beethoven, Jacquet de La Guerre, Zaimont, and Fern&acirc;ndez.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This trip is a continuation of the academic cooperation that was first initiated when Dr. Carmen Escobedo, General Director of the Conservatory, performed at USM last year,&rdquo; said Elder. &ldquo;This will be another step towards paving the way for an official agreement between the Conservatory and Southern Miss.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&ldquo;These amazing young people not only raise our level of performance, but they give our domestic students the opportunity to live, work, and study side by side with students from a different culture&rdquo; said Kravchak.</p>
<p>Elder teaches applied piano to graduate and undergraduate piano majors at Southern Miss and serves as director and teacher in the Southern Miss Piano Institute that she founded in 2011. She is an active collaborator with faculty and guest artists. Her college and pre-college students receive numerous awards and honors for their performance.&nbsp; She is also the featured soloist on the opening night of this year&rsquo;s Symphony Orchestra season on Sept. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center.</p>
<p>A dedicated teacher, Moak is currently on the faculty of the University of Southern Mississippi and previously was selected for a Teaching Fellow at Peabody Conservatory, as well as for the &ldquo;Outstanding Young Faculty&rdquo; Award from Millsaps College. Noted for her &ldquo;sensitivity&rdquo; and &ldquo;generous imagination&rdquo; (<em>La Suisse</em>), she has performed throughout the United States and internationally.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The trip to Peru, a country that will be celebrating its bicentennial just five years from now, is a very exciting occasion,&rdquo; noted Moak. &ldquo;And who can imagine what it must have been like approximately 150 years ago for pianist Louis Moreau Gottschalk who hailed from the South to travel via steamer to Peru for concerts? It is our hope that pianists as well as other musicians will travel more frequently between Southern Miss and Peru in a rich cross-fertilization.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Winner of the Mu Phi Epsilon International Competition and the National Federation of Music Clubs Biennial Auditions among others, Moak holds the <em>Dipl&ocirc;me de Virtuosit&eacute;</em> with highest honors from the Neuch&acirc;tel Conservatory (Switzerland) and the DMA in Piano Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University (studies with Leon Fleisher, Julian Martin, and Ann Schein).</p>
<p>For more information on Elder&rsquo;s appearance with the Symphony, call 601.266.4001. Tickets are available at the Southern Miss Ticket Office, 800.844.8425, 601.266.5418 or <a href="http://www.southernmisstickets.com">www.southernmisstickets.com</a>.</p>
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AcademicsAnnouncementsArtsArts and LettersEventsFaculty and StaffMon, 26 Sep 2016 14:32:59 +000012216 at http://news.usm.eduAudition Mode Kicks Off Connoisseur Series at Southern Misshttp://news.usm.edu/article/audition-mode-kicks-connoisseur-series-southern-miss
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi kicks off its annual Connoisseur Series with a free community concert set for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Marsh Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We are absolutely&nbsp;thrilled to host Audition Mode in Hattiesburg,&rdquo; Said Dr. Jacquelyn Adams, assistant professor of Horn at Southern Miss. &ldquo;Karl Pituch, principal horn for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Denise Tryon, fourth horn for the Philadelphia Orchestra, bring a huge&nbsp;range&nbsp;of&nbsp;experience&nbsp;and&nbsp;have each&nbsp;expanded the boundaries&nbsp;of the&nbsp;professional&nbsp;horn community&nbsp;as&nbsp;world class&nbsp;orchestral musicians, soloists, and teachers.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Pituch was named Principal Horn of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2000. Before joining the DSO, Pituch was Associate Principal Horn with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Principal Horn with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, the Jacksonville Symphony and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra.</p>
<p>He served as a guest Principal Horn for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Chautauqua Festival Orchestra and the Grand Teton Festival Orchestra. Pituch can be heard on many recordings with the Dallas, San Francisco and Honolulu Symphony Orchestras.</p>
<p>Pituch was the grand prize-winner at the 1989 American Solo Horn Competition and has been a finalist at many other solo competitions. As a soloist, Pituch has performed with orchestras in Japan, Hawaii, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Ohio, Florida and Michigan. He has been a frequent guest artist at numerous horn conferences and has served as a judge in the American Horn Competition.</p>
<p>An active chamber musician, Pituch was a member of the Spring Wind Quintet for 11 years and participated in chamber music festivals in Marlboro, Vermont; Crested Butte, Colorado; Kapalua, Maui; Kazusa, Japan and Freden, Germany (with the American Horn Quartet).</p>
<p>Pituch earned his bachelor&rsquo;s degree from the University of Toledo where he studied with Mary Kihslinger. He also studied with Froydis Wekre of the Oslo Philharmonic and Dale Clevenger of the Chicago Symphony. For seven years, he was the horn instructor at the University of Hawaii.</p>
<p>A native of Roseville, Minn., Tryon joined The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2009 as fourth horn. Previously the fourth horn of the Detroit Symphony (2003-2009), she has also held positions with the Baltimore (2000-2003), Columbus (1998-2000), and New World (1995-1998) Symphonies and has participated in the Colorado Music Festival and the Pacific Music Festival. An accomplished solo performer, Tryon has performed recitals in Sweden, Norway, Poland, Japan, and the United States.</p>
<p>In 1989 Tryon graduated from the famed Interlochen Arts Academy and in 1993 received her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) in Boston. She received the Presidential Scholarship while in the Artist Diploma Program at NEC with the Taiyo Wind Quintet, which won the Coleman Chamber Competition and worked with great composers such as John Harbison, Luciano Berio, Gy&ouml;rgy Ligeti, and Elliott Carter.</p>
<p>An active and accomplished educator, Tryon is sought after for her masterclasses. She has taught extensively in the United States, Scandinavia, Europe and Asia. Beth Graham of the Warsaw Philharmonic and founder of the Warsaw Horn Workshops raves, &ldquo;In just a few seconds of listening to a student she can diagnose deep-seated problems and give immediate fixes, often with a healthy dose of humor as well. The transformations she can accomplish in just a short time are truly remarkable.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In 2009, Tryon founded Audition Mode, a yearly horn seminar, with Karl Pituch. In 2010 she was an International Horn Society (IHS) Northeast Workshop Featured Artist. She was a contributing artist at the IHS Symposium in San Francisco in 2011, as well as one of the Solo Artists at the Nordic Hornfest in Norway in 2012.</p>
<p>She was on the horn faculty at BIBA (Blekinge International Brass Academy) in Sweden in 2013, as well as one of the Solo Artists at the Warsaw Horn Workshops that same year. In 2014, Tryon was a Featured Artist at the IHS MidNorth Horn Workshop. Since 2007 she has served on the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsMon, 12 Sep 2016 20:24:22 +000012101 at http://news.usm.eduGulf Coast Library Presents Work of Three Renowned Photographershttp://news.usm.edu/article/gulf-coast-library-presents-work-three-renowned-photographers
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<a href="/author/dawn-smith">Dawn Smith</a> </div>
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<p>The Gulf Coast Library presents &ldquo;3 Views,&rdquo; a photographic exhibit now on display at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park Campus in Long Beach.</p>
<p>Prepared by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Museum of Historical Photography, &ldquo;3 Views&rdquo; refers to the work of three photographers: William Henry Jackson, Willis Vail and Lewis Hine. &nbsp;</p>
<p>The exhibit features each photographer&rsquo;s unique perspective on the formative changes taking place on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during the early years of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. The exhibit also refers to the way the photographers used the term &ldquo;views&rdquo; to describe the images reflected in the glass of their view cameras, a term that was used more then as pictures or photographs are used today.</p>
<p>During a time when photography was still defining itself, these practitioners arrived on the scene to illustrate the artistic differences seen among early photographers.</p>
<p>William Henry Jackson, best known for his images of the Wild West, took more than 40,000 &ldquo;views&rdquo; on glass plates during his long career. This show focuses on the views of the Gulf Coast he took from 1901 to 1906.</p>
<p>Willis Vail, unknown until his glass plate images were discovered in 1970, was the chief engineer for the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad and documented the development of both the Port of Gulfport and City of Gulfport.</p>
<p>Lewis Hine, as a national investigator for the National Child Labor Committee, documented child abuse in the seafood industry of the Gulf Coast.</p>
<p>&ldquo;3 Views&rdquo; will be on display through October at the Gulf Coast Library. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.msmohp.net">www.msmohp.net </a>or contact the Gulf Coast Library at 228.214.3450.</p>
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ArtsCommunityEventsGulf CoastWed, 03 Aug 2016 15:51:29 +000011716 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss Professor to Present Piano Recital at Gulf Park Campushttp://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-professor-present-piano-recital-gulf-park-campus
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<a href="/author/arlicia-jordan">Arlicia Jordan</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi and the Gulf Coast community are invited to hear an eclectic arrangement of music pieces performed by pianist and Associate Professor Elizabeth Moak during a piano recital to be held on the University&rsquo;s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach.</p>
<p>Hosted by the College of Arts and Letters on the Gulf Park campus, Moak will perform a solo piano recital on Monday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the Fleming Education Center Auditorium. The recital will feature a sonata by Beethoven, a suite by &Eacute;lisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (born in&nbsp;1665), and a Brazilian piano suite by Oscar Lorenzo Fern&acirc;ndez. Moak will also honor the 70th birthday year of American composer Judith Lang Zaimont by performing seven of her preludes based on the months of the calendar.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I myself like a variety of music,&rdquo; said Moak. &ldquo;Although I am considered a &lsquo;classical pianist,&rsquo; I think people will be pleasantly surprised by the diversity of pieces in my program.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Noted for her sensitivity and generous imagination, Moak has performed throughout the United States and internationally. A dedicated and respected teacher, she has given masterclasses across the United States, as well as in Taiwan and China. As soloist, she has appeared on national television and radio. Her solo appearances with orchestra have included concertos by Mozart, Beethoven, Grieg, Ravel and Gershwin.</p>
<p>According to Dr. Deanne Stephens Nuwer, associate dean for the College of Arts and Letters at Gulf Park, Moak&rsquo;s performance will be the first piano concert performed by the School of Music on the University&rsquo;s Gulf Park campus in seven years.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good idea between Hattiesburg and Gulf Coast to share talent,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;I hope we and the Gulf Coast community enjoy the talent presented by Ms. Moak and appreciate the efforts put into it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>When informed she would be the first in many years to give a recital, Moak said she felt honored and excited.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Whether this concert is someone&#39;s first piano recital or one of many that they have attended, I hope that they will leave wanting to return for another,&rdquo; said Moak.</p>
<p>For more information about the recital, contact the College of Arts and Letters on the Gulf Park campus at 228.214.3245. This event is free and open to the public. A light reception will follow.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsGulf CoastTue, 12 Apr 2016 16:05:20 +000010631 at http://news.usm.eduSouthern Miss 2016 Jazz and Blues Festival this Easter Weekend http://news.usm.edu/article/southern-miss-2016-jazz-and-blues-festival-easter-weekend
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<a href="/author/arlicia-jordan">Arlicia Jordan</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi is counting down the days until its most anticipated Jazz and Blues Festival, slated for Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Held on the South Lawn on the University&rsquo;s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, this free event is enjoyed by many family and friends along the Gulf Coast.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The Jazz and Blues Festival is our largest annual event on the Gulf Park campus, and we look forward to hosting our community and neighbors at this year&rsquo;s festival,&rdquo; said Dr. Steve Miller, vice president for the Southern Miss Gulf Park campus. &ldquo;Guests will have an opportunity to partake in various activities throughout the day, experience great music and enjoy our beautiful beachfront campus in Long Beach.&rdquo;</p>
<p>This year, the 2016 Southern Miss Jazz and Blues Festival will be headlined by the Stooges Brass Band, an elite brass band out of New Orleans. Known for providing a welcoming blast of true New Orleans spirit, the Stooges Brass Band will engage audiences with their innovative blend of traditional New Orleans brass sounds, contemporary jazz and hip-hop beats.</p>
<p>Not only will there be soulful tunes performed by local and visiting jazz and blues musicians, an array of arts and crafts vendors and food vendors will also be set up throughout the festival grounds. Festival T-shirts and posters will also be available for purchase during the event.</p>
<p>The younger audience can expect a host of children&rsquo;s activities, such as carnival games, face painting and bounce houses, provided by various Gulf Park campus student organizations. An Easter egg hunt will begin promptly at 11 a.m. for children ages 12 and under. Throughout the day, children and families can also visit with the Easter Bunny and Southern Miss mascot Seymour.</p>
<p>The musical lineup for the 2016 Southern Miss Jazz and Blues Festival is as follows:</p>
<p><strong>Main stage:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>10:30 a.m. &ndash; 12 p.m. The Southern Miss Jazztet</li>
<li>12:30 &ndash; 2 p.m. Coast Big Band</li>
<li>2:30 &ndash; 4 p.m. Dei One</li>
<li>4:30 &ndash; 6 p.m. Stooges Brass Band</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Side stage:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>12 &ndash; 12:30 p.m. Jimmy Robinson</li>
<li>2 &ndash; 2:30 p.m. Jimmy Robinson</li>
<li>4 &ndash; 4:30 p.m. Jesse Loya</li>
</ul>
<p>The festival is sponsored by the Offices of the Associate Provost and Vice President at the Gulf Park campus, Gulf Park Student Government Association, Lamar Advertising, Southern Miss Physical Plant, Alpha Media, Division of Student Affairs at Gulf Park, Southern Miss Alumni Association and Coca-Cola.</p>
<p>The Southern Miss Gulf Park campus is located at 730 East Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. For more information on the 2016 Jazz and Blues Festival, visit <a href="http://www.usm.edu/jazz-blues">www.usm.edu/jazz-blues</a> or call 228.865.4574.</p>
ArtsCommunityEventsGulf CoastTue, 22 Mar 2016 15:28:31 +000010381 at http://news.usm.eduAnnual Student Art Show Set for March 23-April 8 at Southern Misshttp://news.usm.edu/article/annual-student-art-show-set-march-23-april-8-southern-miss
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>More than 100 works will be featured during the 2016 Annual Student Show set for March 23-April 8 at the Gallery of Art and Design on The University of Southern Mississippi&rsquo;s Hattiesburg campus.</p>
<p>The media on display include: drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, foundations projects, graphic design, web design and more.</p>
<p>The show begins with an awards reception from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23 and concludes with an evening of art, music and poetry at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This exhibition shows the creativity and visual problem solving skills of our very innovative students,&rdquo; said Dr. Howard Paine, chair and associate professor in the Department of Art and Design. &ldquo;At the core, an art work is a demonstration of the human condition and a snapshot of a culture at a particular moment in time. I believe that this exhibition demonstrates the strong work being produced in the Department of Art and Design. The works are thought-provoking, beautiful, and enjoyable to experience.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Three jurors helped with the selection process for the show: Jeff Jones, graphic design instructor, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College; Earnest Milsted, associate professor printmaking, Southeastern Louisiana University; Dennis Sipiorski, professor of ceramics, Southeastern Louisiana University.</p>
<p>The Gallery of Art and Design is located in the George Hurst Building. For more information, call 601.266.6389 or visit: <a href="http://www.usm.edu/visual-arts">http://www.usm.edu/visual-arts</a></p>
AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsMon, 21 Mar 2016 14:58:15 +000010366 at http://news.usm.eduStudent Soloists Featured in Fun Evening with Southern Miss Bands http://news.usm.edu/article/student-soloists-featured-fun-evening-southern-miss-bands
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<a href="/author/mike-lopinto">Mike Lopinto</a> </div>
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<p>The University of Southern Mississippi Wind Ensemble will present a concert with the Symphonic Winds on Tuesday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Mannoni Performing Arts Center Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus. The concert is free and open to the public.</p>
<p>The program features three student soloists and a selection of music that &ldquo;transcends time and space.&rdquo; From Bernstein to Weber, the concert is sure to excite and move the audience.</p>
<p>&ldquo;All of the student soloists are exceptional performers and musicians,&rdquo; said Catherine Rand, Director of Bands. &ldquo;The students competed in the fall of 2015 to have the opportunity to perform with the band this spring in the bands.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The program opens with the Symphonic Winds under the baton of Andrew Hunter. They will perform Frank Ticheli&rsquo;s <em>Sanctuary,</em> dedicated to legendary bandsman, H. Robert Reynolds. It features a simple melodic line, accompanied by a profoundly beautiful harmonic structure. The peaceful beginning gives way to a passionate climax in the middle.</p>
<p>Second, the <em>Variations on Barnacle Bill, the Sailor</em>, with the tuba soloist, Sam Dent. It takes the listener on a musical trip through the life of Barnacle Bill, with several recognizable nautical themes thrown in for good measure. The work explores the entire range of the tuba through a series of variations on the original theme and the soloist is given ample opportunity to put his mark on the performance.</p>
<p>Dent, a native of Clinton, Miss., is a tuba player majoring in mathematics with a minor in music. He has played with USM&rsquo;s Symphonic Winds, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble, and 5Cents Brass Quintet. Dent has also composed and arranged several works for the Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble and 5Cents.&nbsp;Dent aspires to be a &ldquo;Mathemusician.&rdquo;</p>
<p>After the intermission, the Wind Ensemble will take the stage opening with audience favorite, Leonard Bernstein&rsquo;s <em>Candide.</em> An overture to the opera of the same name, the piece has become a perennial favorite for its bright, bubbly character and rapid fire energy.</p>
<p>Thereafter, the second student soloist, Mark Whitfield, takes to the stage to perform the <em>Concerto for Trombone </em>by composer Launy Gr&oslash;ndahl, as transcribed for band by Poul Ivan M&oslash;ller. Inspired by the trombone section of the Orchestra of the Casino Theater in Copenhagen, this work is the Danish composer&#39;s most performed piece. Written during an Italian vacation in 1924, this challenging and dramatic work is as rewarding for the performer as it is for the listener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Originally from New Bern, North Carolina, Whitfield is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts in Trombone Performance and Pedagogy degree (with a minor in Jazz Studies) at Southern Miss.&nbsp;He is a student of Dr. Ben McIlwain, and is currently serving as the trombone studio graduate assistant. He has performed with a variety of different artists and ensembles, including symphony orchestras in both NC and MS, the NC Brass Band, the NC Wind Orchestra, the Andrew Thielen and Gil Harris Big Bands, The Ringling Brothers &amp; Barnum and Bailey Circus band, Wayne Bergeron, Jeff Coffin, and most recently 7-time CMA &ldquo;Musician of the Year&rdquo; Mac McAnally and the Coral Reefer Band.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Finally, the evening will conclude with <em>Andante e Rondo Ongarese </em>by Carl Maria von Weber, featuring bassoonist Melanie Ferrabone. Weber was born in Holstein, Germany in 1786. His careers as a composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist, and critic gave him great influence on the music of the day. His original <em>Bassoon Concerto</em>&nbsp;was well received, and requests came for another work for the instrument. Rather than starting from scratch, Weber chose to revise and edit a work for viola and orchestra that he had written in 1809. The Andante e Rondo Ongarese in C Minor for bassoon and orchestra made its debut in 1813.</p>
<p>Ferrabone is a native of Panama. She is currently working on a Bachelor of Music degree in bassoon performance. She plays principal bassoon in the USM Symphony Orchestra and the USM Wind Ensemble and has participated as an extra musician with the Mississippi and Meridian Symphony Orchestras and the Gulf Coast Symphony. Born in Panama, Ferrabone began her studies at the National Institute of Music with professor Daniel Agudo.</p>
<p>She has represented her country in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica with the Orquesta Juvenil Centroamericana and in the Alfredo de Saint Malo Festival. It was while attending the latter that she obtained a scholarship for her studies in the United States with Dr. Kim Woolly at USM. Ferrabone has won numerous awards since attending the University, and has been internationally recognized for her achievements as a bassoonist.</p>
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AcademicsArtsArts and LettersCommunityEventsFri, 04 Mar 2016 19:40:52 +000010166 at http://news.usm.eduAnnual Passions of the Palate Event Set for April 11 at Convention Centerhttp://news.usm.edu/article/annual-passions-palate-event-set-april-11-convention-center
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<a href="/author/van-arnold">Van Arnold</a> </div>
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<p>Whitney Miller, 2010 Fox TV &ldquo;MasterChef&rdquo; winner and University of Southern Mississippi alum, will serve as a celebrity chef for the 12<sup>th</sup> Annual Passions of the Palate event set for April 11 at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg.</p>
<p>The Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Sport Management in the College of Business at Southern Miss is hosting the popular tasting dinner that also features celebrity chef Robert Stinson, a restaurant entrepreneur in Long Beach, Miss. The event gets underway at 5 with a reception and silent auction. The dinner begins at 7 p.m.</p>
<p>Proceeds from the fund-raiser directly benefit students and faculty in the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Sport Management. Money collected will provide scholarships for students to continue their education outside the classroom. Approximately $40,000 was awarded to students in the 2013-2015 academic years from the &ldquo;Passions&rdquo; proceeds.</p>
<p>Event Director Dr. Wei Wang, assistant professor in the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Sport Management, notes that the &ldquo;Passions&rdquo; fund-raiser helps promote the importance of collaboration between business and education.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This event drives students to research and seek out ways to advance their careers while still in school,&rdquo; said Wang. &ldquo;Many times when students use these scholarships to travel to conventions they come back with not only contacts they have made but also more knowledge about the industry and where they may see themselves in the future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The silent auction will feature everything from local artwork to vacation packages. Chefs Miller and Stinson will present their respective cooking styles with modern twists on Southern classics. The program will also include wine pairings, courtesy of Fine Wine and Liquor Loft.</p>
<p>For more information about Passions of the Palate, visit: <a href="http://www.passionsofthepalate.com">www.passionsofthepalate.com</a></p>
AcademicsArtsBusinessCommunityEventsTue, 01 Mar 2016 22:09:35 +000010116 at http://news.usm.edu